Skip to content
Support Us

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Here's how to use Peach, a new messaging app that's taking the internet by storm

One thing that makes Peach stand out is that it allows users to use “magic words” to summon certain commands to appear in their status updates.

ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON, a new app called Peach took the internet by storm.

Peach, created by Vine founder Dom Hofmann, is a messaging platform that looks a bit like Twitter, Slack, and Instagram.

It effectively lets you find your friends and upload gifs, pictures, and status updates in your own feed, and then view your friends’ updates too.

One thing that makes Peach stand out is that it allows users to use “magic words” to summon certain commands to appear in their status updates.

For instance, if you type “gif,” a Giphy search tool appears. Typing “here” adds your current location. There’s a complete rundown of the app’s “magic words” here.

However just days ago Telegram – a faster, prettier, and more secure rival to WhatsApp – introduced similar capability.

The free, iOS-only app describes itself as a “fun, simple way to keep up with friends and be yourself,” which is pretty vague, but Peach itself is strangely addicting. The internet went crazy for it on Friday — so much so that the app reportedly kept crashing.

Here’s how to use Peach:

This is Peach. Right now it’s an iOS-only messaging app.

this-is-peach-right-now-its-an-ios-only-messaging-app

When you first start out, you won’t have any friends on Peach. You’ll have to add them either by knowing their username or by entering their phone number (at the time of writing Irish numbers don’t seem to be supported, or the system is still experiencing glitches).

when-you-first-start-out-you-wont-have-any-friends-on-peach-youll-have-to-add-them-either-by-knowing-their-username-or-by-entering-their-phone-number

Here’s what your main screen in the Peach app looks like once you add some friends. You’re shown reverse-chronological updates from your friends, starting with the most recent.

heres-what-your-main-screen-in-the-peach-app-looks-like-once-you-add-some-friends-youre-shown-reverse-chronological-updates-from-your-friends-starting-with-the-most-recent

Swipe to the left and you’ll be shown your own feed, which comprises all your updates — things like pictures you can upload, gifs, plain-text statuses, and more.

swipe-to-the-left-and-youll-be-shown-your-own-feed-which-comprises-all-your-updates--things-like-pictures-you-can-upload-gifs-plain-text-statuses-and-more

You can take pictures right inside the app, or upload one of your own.

you-can-take-pictures-right-inside-the-app-or-upload-one-of-your-own

You can also answer one of Peach’s prompts to update your profile.

you-can-also-answer-one-of-peachs-prompts-to-update-your-profile

And you can use Peach’s “magic words” — like the word “gif” — to summon hidden features, like finding a gif on Giphy.

and-you-can-use-peachs-magic-words--like-the-word-gif--to-summon-hidden-features-like-finding-a-gif-on-giphy

Similar to how you can scroll through your own Peach profile, you can look through your friends’ too.

similar-to-how-you-can-scroll-through-your-own-peach-profile-you-can-look-through-your-friends-too

You can look at your friends’ friends.

you-can-look-at-your-friends-friends

In your activity panel (a heart in a square in the top left of your profile), you can see the posts of yours that your friends have liked and commented on.

in-your-activity-panel-you-can-see-the-posts-of-yours-that-your-friends-have-liked-and-commented-on

This might be Peach’s best feature. Instead of poking people (remember that Facebook feature?) you can elect to wave to your friends, blow them a kiss, or cake them. It’s pretty addicting.

this-might-be-peachs-best-feature-instead-of-poking-people-remember-that-facebook-feature-you-can-elect-to-wave-to-your-friends-blow-them-a-kiss-or-cake-them-its-pretty-addicting


- Maya Kosoff

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Published with permission from
View 17 comments
Close
17 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Warren Collier
    Favourite Warren Collier
    Report
    Apr 11th 2016, 10:00 AM

    Incredible people doing incredible work! Heroes

    403
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Trevor Beale
    Favourite Trevor Beale
    Report
    Apr 11th 2016, 9:58 AM

    These volunteers go beyond the term brave.

    363
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Robbie Doyle
    Favourite Robbie Doyle
    Report
    Apr 11th 2016, 10:22 AM

    Great to see the fishermen had life jackets and could swim. So many cant. Good work

    243
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute MackPilon
    Favourite MackPilon
    Report
    Apr 11th 2016, 10:30 AM

    That outstretch hand is the most symbolic example of what the RNLI do.

    209
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Cool Lights
    Favourite Cool Lights
    Report
    Apr 11th 2016, 10:04 AM

    Great works lads.

    181
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Fearghal
    Favourite Fearghal
    Report
    Apr 11th 2016, 10:13 AM

    Absolute legends!

    161
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute SquideyeMagpie
    Favourite SquideyeMagpie
    Report
    Apr 11th 2016, 10:07 AM

    Well done lads. Can happen very quick

    143
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Shane Kinsella
    Favourite Shane Kinsella
    Report
    Apr 11th 2016, 10:22 AM

    Heroes

    131
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Padraig
    Favourite Padraig
    Report
    Apr 11th 2016, 10:54 AM

    Well done RNLI.The lads were lucky they were in the harbour and not 10 miles out to sea.

    79
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Noel Adderley
    Favourite Noel Adderley
    Report
    Apr 11th 2016, 11:02 AM

    10 miles out at sea hitting rocks?

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Fear Uisce
    Favourite Fear Uisce
    Report
    Apr 11th 2016, 11:49 AM

    You dont know much about the sea do you Noel

    59
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Linda McCormackToner
    Favourite Linda McCormackToner
    Report
    Apr 11th 2016, 11:23 AM

    Fantastic work well done

    39
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Carmody
    Favourite John Carmody
    Report
    Apr 11th 2016, 11:23 AM

    Heros.

    32
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Christine Paulette Roche
    Favourite Christine Paulette Roche
    Report
    Apr 11th 2016, 2:07 PM

    Well Done to the RNLI for the brilliant work in saving the lives of these three fishermen, they are lucky we have such brilliant services and are to be commended highly, But this fishing trawler is illegal and should not be fishing in our seas, The Navy should be patrolling our waters and protecting it from illegal fishing from EU countries, it’s hard enough for our own fishing men to make a living, without our seas being raped by illegal trawlers in our waters

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Stephen Deegan
    Favourite Stephen Deegan
    Report
    Apr 11th 2016, 4:51 PM

    What makes you think they were illegal, Christine? European trawlers fish off our coast legally all the time, the same way that Irish trawlers legally fish off Iceland and Norway etc. Anyway, they were heading for shelter during a storm. Would that be illegal too?

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Kieran Fitzgerald
    Favourite Kieran Fitzgerald
    Report
    Apr 11th 2016, 5:31 PM

    Except considering the weather and their location they probably had the gear stowed and we’re heading in to escape the weather.

    2
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Robin Strahan
    Favourite Robin Strahan
    Report
    Apr 11th 2016, 6:36 PM

    Think the trawler was registered in Skibbereen (as you can see in the video) and based in Union Hall. So not sure where you’re getting the illegal fishing idea from.

    15
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gone Feisin
    Favourite Gone Feisin
    Report
    Apr 11th 2016, 10:53 AM

    The Journal has a fantastic record of leaving you wanting more… By not reporting enough details at the start.

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David Heaney
    Favourite David Heaney
    Report
    Apr 11th 2016, 6:54 PM

    The vessel was 20meters long,both Radio and Tv have been reporting the vessel as 20foot long,have people no concept of what 20foot is in actual terms compared to the size of the vessel in the pictures and videos?

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Chris Treacy
    Favourite Chris Treacy
    Report
    Apr 11th 2016, 9:17 PM

    Nice one david…20 ft is like a big canoe ….lol

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Stephen Devlin
    Favourite Stephen Devlin
    Report
    Apr 11th 2016, 2:30 PM

    Some operators

    2
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds